Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent, Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, China
North America, Central America, South America
Types
Tropical Fruit Tree
princess of the night, Honolulu queen
Number of Varieties
1020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
Desert, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-14
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12 - 10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
H1, H2, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Spreading
Narrow Upright/Fastigiate
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm250.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,370.00 cm40.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Light Pink, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Pink, Purple, Salmon, Violet
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong or Lanceolate
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Average Water Needs, Do not let dry out between waterings, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires consistently moist soil, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead branches
Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Put diluted fertilizers
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing
Pests and Diseases
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Scale
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Semi-Double
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds
Allergy
-
Diarrhea, Nausea, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Improve hair condition, Improve skin condition
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Antioxidants, cholesterol-lowering, Fever, Heart problems, Itching, Menstrual Disorders, Rheumatism, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Flowers, Stem
Other Uses
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Decoration Purposes, Economic Purpose, Employed in herbal medicine, Medicinal oil, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container
Botanical Name
DILLENIA indica
CEREUS
Common Name
Chulta, Elephant Apple
Night blooming cereus
In Hindi
Elephant Apple
cereus
In German
Elefant von Apple
cereus
In French
Elephant d'Apple
cereus
In Spanish
El elefante de Apple
cereus
In Greek
ελέφαντας της Apple
cereus
In Portuguese
Elefante da Apple
cereus
In Polish
Słoń Jabłko
cereus
In Latin
Elephant Apple
cereus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Dilleniales
Caryophyllales
Family
Dilleniaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Dillenia
Selenicereus
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Hylocereeae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
133
1
27800
👆🏻